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Abstract:

Provided is an information processing device capable of issuing a
notification of an occurrence of an event depending on a current
operation mode in a case where the information processing device operates
in a plurality of operation modes. An information processing device
operates in a plurality of operation modes including at least a first
mode and a second mode, receives event information output by an event
output program, and notifies a user that the event information has been
received, and the information processing device changes a pattern of
notification between a case where the event information is received
during the operation in the first mode and a case where the event
information is received during the operation in the second mode.

Claims:

1. An information processing device, which operates in a plurality of
operation modes comprising at least a first mode and a second mode, the
information processing device comprising: event information receiving
means for receiving event information output by an event output program;
and event notification means for notifying, when the event information
receiving means receives the event information, a user that the event
information has been received, wherein the event notification means
changes a pattern of notification between a case where the event
information receiving means receives the event information during
operation in the first mode and a case where the event information
receiving means receives the event information during operation in the
second mode.

2. The information processing device according to claim 1, wherein: the
first mode comprises a mode of displaying an image drawn by a single
application program on an entirety of a screen of a display device; and
the event notification means performs the notification by changing
display of the screen in a case of during the operation in the second
mode, and performs the notification by another method without changing
the display of the screen in a case of during the operation in the first
mode.

3. The information processing device according to claim 2, wherein the
event notification means performs the notification by causing a
light-emitting body to emit light in the case of during the operation in
the first mode.

4. The information processing device according to claim 3, wherein the
light-emitting body comprises an operation member to be operated by the
user to confirm details of the event information subjected to the
notification.

5. The information processing device according to claim 4, wherein the
event notification means performs the notification by changing a color of
a notification image displayed on the screen to a predetermined color in
the case of during the operation in the second mode, and performs the
notification by causing the light-emitting body to emit light in the
predetermined color in the case of during the operation in the first
mode.

6. The information processing device according to claim 5, wherein: a
sensor for sensing an operation of the user with respect to the screen is
disposed so as to be overlaid on the screen; and the information
processing device further comprises list display means for displaying a
list of the event information notified of by the event notification means
in the past on the screen when the sensor senses the operation of the
user with respect to a display position of the notification image after
the event notification means performs the notification by changing the
color of the notification image.

7. The information processing device according to claim 2, wherein the
event notification means interrupts the notification when the event
output program whose execution result is being displayed on the screen
outputs the event information during the operation in the first mode, and
performs the notification when the event output program whose execution
result is being displayed on the screen outputs the event information
during the operation in the second mode.

8. The information processing device according to claim 1, further
comprising list display means for displaying a list of the event
information notified of by the event notification means in the past on
the screen in response to a request made by the user, wherein: the event
information receiving means receives the event information output by each
of a plurality of event output programs; and the list display means
displays on the screen, for the each of the plurality of event output
programs, even when the each of the plurality of event output programs
output event information items whose number exceeds a predetermined
number in the past, only the predetermined number of event information
items to be comprised in the list.

9. The information processing device according to claim 8, wherein the
list display means displays on the screen the predetermined number of
event information items output in a most recent past to be comprised in
the list among a plurality of event information items output by the
plurality of event output programs in the past.

10. The information processing device according to claim 8, further
comprising means for displaying on the screen, in a case where the user
performs an operation for selecting one of a plurality of event
information items comprised in the list in a state in which the list of
the event information is displayed on the screen, an image indicating a
processing result of the event output program that has output the
selected one of the plurality of event information items.

11. A control method for an information processing device, which operates
in a plurality of operation modes comprising at least a first mode and a
second mode, the control method comprising: an event information
receiving step of receiving event information output by an event output
program; and an event notification step of notifying, when the event
information is received in the event information receiving step, a user
that the event information has been received, wherein the event
notification step comprises changing a pattern of notification between a
case where the event information receiving means receives the event
information during operation in the first mode and a case where the event
information receiving means receives the event information during
operation in the second mode.

12. A program for causing an information processing device, which
operates in a plurality of operation modes comprising at least a first
mode and a second mode, to function as: event information receiving means
for receiving event information output by an event output program; and
event notification means for notifying, when the event information
receiving means receives the event information, a user that the event
information has been received, wherein the event notification means
changes a pattern of notification between a case where the event
information receiving means receives the event information during
operation in the first mode and a case where the event information
receiving means receives the event information during operation in the
second mode.

13. A computer-readable information storage medium having stored thereon
the program according to claim 12.

14. An information processing device, comprising: event receiving means
for receiving event information output by each of a plurality of event
output programs; event notification means for notifying, when the event
receiving means receives the event information, a user that the event
information has been received; and list display means for displaying a
list of the event information notified of by the event notification means
in the past on a screen of a display device in response to a request made
by the user, wherein the list display means displays on the screen, for
the each of the plurality of event output programs, even when the each of
the plurality of event output programs output event information items
whose number exceeds a predetermined number in the past, only the
predetermined number of event information items to be comprised in the
list.

15. The information processing device according to claim 14, wherein the
list display means displays on the screen the predetermined number of
event information items output in a most recent past to be comprised in
the list among a plurality of event information items output by the
plurality of event output programs in the past.

16. The information processing device according to claim 14, further
comprising means for displaying on the screen, in a case where the user
performs an operation for selecting one of a plurality of event
information items comprised in the list in a state in which the list of
the event information is displayed on the screen, an image indicating a
processing result of one of the plurality of event output programs that
has output the selected one of the plurality of event information items.

Description:

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present invention relates to an information processing device
for notifying a user of event information output by a program, a control
method therefor, a program, and an information storage medium.

BACKGROUND ART

[0002] There are information processing devices, such as a personal
computer and a game machine, for executing a plurality of programs at the
same timing. Some information processing devices as described above have
a function of notifying a user of an occurrence of an event through a
pop-up on a screen or other such method when some event to which the
user's attention is to be attracted occurs in processing of a program
running in a background. Patent Literature 1 discloses an information
processing system for displaying an execution result of a given program
while displaying an execution result of another program.

CITATION LIST

Patent Literature

[0003] [Patent Literature 1] US 2009/0217285 A1

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

Technical Problem

[0004] The above-mentioned information processing device may operate in a
plurality of operation modes, for example, an operation mode of
displaying an image drawn by a single application program on an entirety
of a screen of a display device and an operation mode of functioning
otherwise. Then, a situation in which a notification of an occurrence of
an event as described above is difficult is conceivable depending on the
operation mode of the information processing device.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned
circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide an information
processing device capable of issuing a notification of an occurrence of
an event depending on a current operation mode in a case where the
information processing device operates in a plurality of operation modes,
an information processing method therefor, a program, and an information
storage medium.

Solution to Problem

[0006] According to the present invention, there is provided an
information processing device, which operates in a plurality of operation
modes including at least a first mode and a second mode, the information
processing device including: event information receiving means for
receiving event information output by an event output program; and event
notification means for notifying, when the event information receiving
means receives the event information, a user that the event information
has been received, in which the event notification means changes a
pattern of notification between a case where the event information
receiving means receives the event information during operation in the
first mode and a case where the event information receiving means
receives the event information during operation in the second mode.

[0007] In the information processing device, the first mode may be a mode
of displaying an image drawn by a single application program on an
entirety of a screen of a display device, and the event notification
means may perform the notification by changing display of the screen in a
case of during the operation in the second mode, and perform the
notification by another method without changing the display of the screen
in a case of during the operation in the first mode.

[0008] Further, the event notification means may perform the notification
by causing a light-emitting body to emit light in the case of during the
operation in the first mode.

[0009] Further, the light-emitting body may be an operation member to be
operated by the user to confirmation of details of the event information
subjected to the notification.

[0010] Further, in the information processing device, the event
notification means may perform the notification by changing a color of a
notification image displayed on the screen to a predetermined color in
the case of during the operation in the second mode, and may perform the
notification by causing the light-emitting body to emit light in the
predetermined color in the case of during the operation in the first
mode.

[0011] Further, in the information processing device, a sensor for sensing
an operation of the user with respect to the screen may be disposed so as
to be overlaid on the screen, and the information processing device may
further include list display means for displaying a list of the event
information notified of by the event notification means in the past on
the screen when the sensor senses the operation of the user with respect
to a display position of the notification image after the event
notification means performs the notification by changing the color of the
notification image.

[0012] Further, in the information processing device, the event
notification means may interrupt the notification when the event output
program whose execution result is being displayed on the screen outputs
the event information during the operation in the first mode, and may
perform the notification when the event output program whose execution
result is being displayed on the screen outputs the event information
during the operation in the second mode.

[0013] Further, the information processing device may further include list
display means for displaying a list of the event information notified of
by the event notification means in the past on the screen in response to
a request made by the user, in which: the event information receiving
means may receive the event information output by each of a plurality of
event output programs; and the list display means may display on the
screen, for the each of the plurality of event output programs, even when
the each of the plurality of event output programs output event
information items whose number exceeds a predetermined number in the
past, only the predetermined number of event information items to be
included in the list.

[0014] Further, the list display means may display on the screen the
predetermined number of event information items output in a most recent
past to be included in the list among a plurality of event information
items output by the plurality of event output programs in the past.

[0015] Further, the information processing device may further include
means for displaying on the screen, in a case where the user performs an
operation for selecting one of a plurality of event information items
included in the list in a state in which the list of the event
information is displayed on the screen, an image indicating a processing
result of the event output program that has output the selected one of
the plurality of event information items.

[0016] According to the present invention, there is also provided a
control method for an information processing device, which operates in a
plurality of operation modes including at least a first mode and a second
mode, the control method including: an event information receiving step
of receiving event information output by an event output program; and an
event notification step of notifying, when the event information is
received in the event information receiving step, a user that the event
information has been received, in which the event notification step
includes changing a pattern of notification between a case where the
event information receiving means receives the event information during
operation in the first mode and a case where the event information
receiving means receives the event information during operation in the
second mode.

[0017] According to the present invention, there is also provided a
program for causing an information processing device, which operates in a
plurality of operation modes including at least a first mode and a second
mode, to function as: event information receiving means for receiving
event information output by an event output program; and event
notification means for notifying, when the event information receiving
means receives the event information, a user that the event information
has been received, in which the event notification means changes a
pattern of notification between a case where the event information
receiving means receives the event information during operation in the
first mode and a case where the event information receiving means
receives the event information during operation in the second mode. This
program may be stored on a computer-readable information storage medium.

[0018] According to the present invention, there is also provided another
information processing device, including: event receiving means for
receiving event information output by each of a plurality of event output
programs; event notification means for notifying, when the event
receiving means receives the event information, a user that the event
information has been received; and list display means for displaying a
list of the event information notified of by the event notification means
in the past on a screen of a display device in response to a request made
by the user, in which the list display means displays on the screen, for
the each of the plurality of event output programs, even when the each of
the plurality of event output programs output event information items
whose number exceeds a predetermined number in the past, only the
predetermined number of event information items to be included in the
list.

[0019] Further, in the information processing device, the list display
means may display on the screen the predetermined number of event
information items output in a most recent past to be included in the list
among a plurality of event information items output by the plurality of
event output programs in the past.

[0020] Further, the information processing device may further include
means for displaying on the screen, in a case where the user performs an
operation for selecting one of a plurality of event information items
included in the list in a state in which the list of the event
information is displayed on the screen, an image indicating a processing
result of one of the plurality of event output programs that has output
the selected one of the plurality of event information items.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0021] [FIG. 1] A perspective view illustrating an example of an outer
appearance of an information processing device according to an embodiment
of the present invention.

[0022] [FIG. 2] A configuration block diagram illustrating a configuration
of the information processing device according to the embodiment of the
present invention.

[0023] [FIG. 3] A functional block diagram illustrating functions realized
by the information processing device according to the embodiment of the
present invention.

[0024] [FIG. 4] A diagram illustrating an example of a screen for
displaying a menu image.

[0025] [FIG. 5] A diagram illustrating an example of a screen for
displaying a program-related image.

[0026] [FIG. 6] A diagram illustrating an example of a screen on which
event information is notified of.

[0028] [FIG. 8] A diagram illustrating an example of a screen for
displaying a list of the event information.

[0029] [FIG. 9] A diagram illustrating another example of the screen for
displaying the list of the event information.

[0030] [FIG. 10] A diagram illustrating an example of a screen indicating
that a download is being executed.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[0031] A detailed description is now made of an embodiment of the present
invention with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0032]FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating an example of an outer
appearance of an information processing device 10 according to the
embodiment of the present invention. Further, FIG. 2 is a configuration
block diagram illustrating a configuration of the information processing
device 10. As illustrated in those figures, the information processing
device 10 includes a control unit 11, a storage unit 12, an image
processing unit 13, a display device 14, a touch sensor 15, and an
operation button 16.

[0033] The control unit 11 is, for example, a CPU, and executes various
kinds of information processing in accordance with programs stored in the
storage unit 12. A specific example of the processing executed by the
control unit 11 in this embodiment is described later.

[0034] The storage unit 12 is, for example, a memory device such as a RAM
or a ROM or a disk device, and stores the programs executed by the
control unit 11 and various kinds of data. Further, the storage unit 12
also functions as a work memory for the control unit 11. Particularly in
this embodiment, the information processing device 10 is to execute a
plurality of application programs AP including a game application, and
the storage unit 12 stores those application programs AP.

[0035] The image processing unit 13 includes, for example, a GPU and a
frame buffer memory, and draws an image to be displayed on a screen S of
the display device 14 in accordance with a draw instruction output from
the control unit 11. As a specific example thereof, the image processing
unit 13 includes the frame buffer memory corresponding to the screen S,
and the GPU writes the image to the frame buffer memory every
predetermined time in accordance with the instruction issued from the
control unit 11. Then, the image written to this frame buffer memory is
converted into a video signal at a predetermined timing, and output to
the display device 14.

[0036] The display device 14 includes the screen S, and displays the image
drawn by the image processing unit 13 on the screen S. Note that, the
display device 14 may be various kinds of device for displaying an image,
such as a liquid crystal display panel or an organic EL display panel.
Further, in this embodiment, the display device 14 is provided within a
casing of the information processing device 10, but the display device 14
may be a device independent of the information processing device 10.

[0037] The touch sensor 15 includes a substantially-rectangular detection
surface having a shape and size corresponding to the screen S of the
display device 14, and when an object comes in contact with this
detection surface, detects a contact position of the object. The
detection surface of the touch sensor 15 is disposed so as to be overlaid
on the screen S. Therefore, when a user performs an operation for, for
example, bringing the object such as his/her own finger or a stylus held
by his/her hand into contact with the screen S, the touch sensor 15 can
sense this user's operation. Note that, in the following description, for
the sake of convenience thereof, the touch sensor 15 is assumed to detect
the user's finger, and the user is assumed to perform an operation input
by bringing his/her own finger into contact with the touch sensor 15.
Further, the touch sensor 15 may not necessarily detect the position of
the object only when the object comes into contact with the detection
surface, but also detect the position of the object with respect to the
detection surface when the object comes closer to within a range that
allows detection on the detection surface. The touch sensor 15 may be of
any type as long as the touch sensor 15 is a device of, for example, an
electrostatic capacitance type, a pressure-sensitive type, or an optical
type, which can detect the position of the object on the detection
surface.

[0038] The operation button 16 is a kind of operation member used for the
operation input performed by the user with respect to the information
processing device 10 along with the touch sensor 15. The user depresses
the operation button 16 to perform the operation input with respect to
the information processing device 10. In addition, in this embodiment,
the operation button 16 is a light-emitting body that emits light itself.
Specifically, for example, a light-emitting element such as an LED is
disposed inside the operation button 16, and the operation button 16 has
a cover formed of a transparent member. With this configuration, the
information processing device 10 can cause the operation button 16 to
emit light. Note that, FIG. 1 illustrates only one operation button 16,
but the information processing device 10 may the provided with a
plurality of operation buttons. Further, other operation members such as
a switch and an analog stick may be provided.

[0039] A description is now made of the application programs AP stored in
the storage unit 12 to be executed by the information processing device
10. Note that, it is assumed below that the application programs AP are
programs that can be selected by the user in a state in which a menu
image Im described later is displayed. The information processing device
10 may execute various programs other than those application programs AP.

[0040] In this embodiment, the application programs AP are each
categorized into any one of two kinds. That is, there are a full-mode
programs AP1 that operate only in a full mode (first mode) and light
programs AP2 capable of operating in a menu mode (second mode) different
from the full mode. The information processing device 10 according to
this embodiment operates in any one of a plurality of operation modes
including at least the full mode and the menu mode. The full mode is an
operation mode in which one program (full-mode program AP1) alone
occupies an entirety of the screen S to operate, and details of the
user's operation sensed by the touch sensor 15 during operation in the
full mode are handled as an input with respect to the full-mode program
AP1 being executed. The full-mode program AP1 is executed only in the
full mode, and a program output image indicating a processing result
thereof is displayed on the entirety of the screen S. Note that, in terms
of property of occupying the entirety of the screen S in its execution,
only one full-mode program AP1 can be executed simultaneously, and when
processing of another full-mode program AP1 is to be executed, the
processing of the full-mode program AP1 being currently executed needs to
be finished or temporarily interrupted. On the other hand, the menu mode
is an operation mode in which a menu image display control section 21
described later displays the menu image Im or a program-related image Ip
within a predetermined area of the screen S, and the light program AP2
displays the program output image indicating the processing result
thereof in a partial area of the screen S as the program-related image
Ip. Further, in the menu mode, the program-related image Ip relating to
each of the plurality of application programs AP can be displayed by
being switched, and hence a plurality of light programs AP2 can be
executed simultaneously.

[0041] A description is now made of functions realized by the information
processing device 10 according to this embodiment. FIG. 3 is a functional
block diagram illustrating the functions realized by the information
processing device 10. As illustrated in the figure, the information
processing device 10 functionally includes an operation reception section
20, the menu image display control section 21, a program execution
section 22, an event information receiving section 23, an event
notification section 24, and an event list display control section 25.
Those functions are realized by the control unit 11 executing the
programs stored in the storage unit 12. The programs may be provided to
the information processing device 10 by, for example, being stored in
various computer-readable information storage media such as an optical
disc. Alternatively, the programs may be provided to the information
processing device 10 via a communication network such as the Internet.

[0042] The operation reception section 20 received the user's instruction
operation performed through the touch sensor 15 or the operation button
16. Particularly in this embodiment, the user performs the operation
input with respect to the information processing device 10 by, for
example, bringing his/her own finger into contact with the detection
surface of the touch sensor 15 or sliding the finger with the finger kept
in contact with the detection surface. In the following description, such
an action that the user brings his/her finger into contact with the
detection surface at one point thereof only for a short time is referred
to as "tap operation". When the tap operation is performed, the operation
reception section 20 outputs the position of the tap operation (that is,
position within the detection surface with which the user has brought
his/her finger into contact). Further, such an action that the user
brings his/her finger into contact with the detection surface at one
point thereof, moves the finger linearly in any direction on the
detection surface with the contact position as a start point, and
releases the finger is referred to as "slide operation". When the slide
operation is performed, the information processing device 10 performs
each kind of information processing depending on the direction in which
the user has moved the finger in the above-mentioned operation. That is,
the slide operation is such an operation that the user specifies the
direction for the information processing device 10. When the slide
operation is performed while the menu image Im or the program-related
image Ip described later is displayed, the operation reception section 20
identifies the direction specified by the user based on the positions of
the start point thereof and an end point thereof. The direction
identified by the operation reception section 20 may be, for example, any
one of the four directions of up/down/left/right on the screen S. The
respective functional components described later execute various kinds of
information processing based on details of the tap operation and the
slide operation received by the operation reception section 20.

[0043] The menu image display control section 21 displays the menu image
Im on the screen S at a predetermined timing, for example, at a time of
booting the information processing device 10 or at a time when the user
instructs for the menu display. The menu image Im is an image which is
presented for prompting the user to select the application program AP to
be executed and which includes a plurality of menu item images Ic from
which the user is to make a selection. Each of a plurality of menu item
images Ic is associated with any one of the plurality of application
programs AP. Each menu item image Ic may be an icon image or the like
indicating the corresponding application program AP.

[0044]FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of the screen S on
which the menu image Im is displayed. In this figure, the menu image Im
includes ten menu item images Ic1 to Ic10 each of which is associated
with each application program AP. Further, in FIG. 4, a narrow
rectangular status bar display area As is provided along an upper side of
the screen S, and a status bar is displayed in the status bar display
area As. The status bar includes therein a notification image In
described later. Further, the status bar may include therein, for
example, various kinds of information indicating statuses, such as a
remaining battery level and a communications status, of the information
processing device 10 or a current time. In addition, the area in which
the menu image Im within the screen S is displayed is referred to as
"program display area Ap". In the example of FIG. 5, the program display
area Ap is an area defined by excluding the status bar display area As
from the screen S, but if there is no need to displaying the status bar
at all times, the program display area Ap may be the entirety of screen
S. Note that, in the above-mentioned menu mode, it is assumed that the
menu image display control section 21 is displaying the status bar in the
status bar display area As and displaying the menu image Im or the
program-related image Ip (image relating to any one of the plurality of
application programs AP) in the program display area Ap.

[0045] In the state in which the menu image Im is displayed, the user
performs a menu selection operation by tapping the position at which any
one of the menu item images Ic is displayed. That is, the user selects
any one of the menu item images Ic, to thereby instruct to display the
program-related image Ip relating to the application program AP
associated with the selected menu item image Ic. However, in this
embodiment, the application program AP corresponding to the selected menu
item image Ic is not always started as soon as the user selects the menu
item image Ic. Specifically, when the user selects the full-mode program
AP1, the menu image display control section 21 only displays the
program-related image Ip corresponding to the selected full-mode program
AP1 in the program display area Ap without starting the full-mode program
AP1 at that time point. On the other hand, when the user selects the
light program AP2, the menu image display control section 21 instructs
the program execution section 22 to start the light program AP2, and
displays an image output by the light program AP2 in the program display
area Ap as the program-related image Ip corresponding to the light
program AP2.

[0046] The program-related image Ip is an image including information
associated with the corresponding application program AP, and is
displayed in the program display area Ap of the screen S. Specifically,
the program-related image Ip corresponding to the full-mode program AP1
includes a startup image with respect to which the user is to perform an
operation for instructing to start the full-mode program AP1. In this
embodiment, the startup image is assumed to be a start button image IL
indicating a start button. It should be understood that the
program-related image Ip corresponding to the full-mode program AP1 is
displayed before the full-mode program AP1 is started, and is therefore
drawn by another program (in this description, program for realizing the
menu image display control section 21) instead of being drawn by the
full-mode program AP1 itself.

[0047]FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of a screen for
displaying the program-related image Ip corresponding to the full-mode
program AP1. In the example of this figure, the start button image IL
with respect to which an operation for starting the corresponding
full-mode program AP1 is to be performed is located in a center of the
program-related image Ip. Further, the start button image IL is
surrounded by various kinds of related information relating to the
program prepared by a provider of the full-mode program AP1.

[0048] On the other hand, the program-related image Ip corresponding to
the light program AP2 may itself be the program output image indicating
the processing result of the light program AP2. In this case, the
program-related image Ip corresponding to the light program AP2 is drawn
by the light program AP2 itself unlike in the case of the full-mode
program AP1.

[0049] Further, the menu image display control section 21 is configured to
switch the image to be displayed in the program display area Ap between
the menu image Im and the program-related image Ip in response to the
user's instruction. In addition, the menu image display control section
21 may display a plurality of program-related images Ip displayed as a
result of the user's selection of the plurality of menu item images Ic in
order in the past by switching the plurality of program-related images Ip
in response to the user's instruction. With this configuration, while the
information processing device 10 is operating in the menu mode, the user
can cause the menu image Im and one or the plurality of program-related
images Ip displayed in the past to be displayed in the program display
area Ap by switching these images arbitrarily.

[0050] The program execution section 22 is realized by the control unit 11
executing each kind of program. In this description, the programs to be
executed by the program execution section 22 include the application
program AP described so far. In this embodiment, the program execution
section 22 executes the program subjected to the operation performed by
the user in a case where the user performs an operation for selecting the
light program AP2 in the state in which the menu image Im is displayed or
a case where the user performs the operation for instructing to start the
full-mode program AP1 in the state in which the program-related image Ip
corresponding to the full-mode program AP1 is displayed. In addition, the
programs to be executed by the program execution section 22 include an
event output program that outputs event information during execution of
processing thereof. Note that, the event output program may include the
application program AP. Further, the event output program may include,
for example, various system programs executed as part of a operating
system irrespective of the user's explicit instruction.

[0051] Particularly in a case where the program execution section 22
executes the full-mode program AP1, the program execution section 22
switches the operation mode of the information processing device 10 to
the full mode, and executes the full-mode program. AP1 in the full mode.
At this time, as has already been described, the program output image
indicating the processing result of the full-mode program AP1 is
displayed on the entirety of the screen S, and the user's operations
performed through the touch sensor 15 are all processed as inputs to the
full-mode program AP1 being executed.

[0052] Note that, when the user depresses the operation button 16 while
the full-mode program AP1 is being executed, the program execution
section 22 interrupts the processing of the full-mode program AP1, and
switches the operation mode of the information processing device 10 from
the full mode to the menu mode. With this configuration, the menu image
display control section 21 again displays the program-related image Ip,
which had been displayed before the full-mode program AP1 was started, in
the program display area Ap.

[0053] While the event output program is being executed, the program
execution section 22 outputs various kinds of event information depending
on the details of the processing. The event information may be, for
example, information for notifying the user that specific processing has
been started or finished or information for notifying that a specific
condition has been established along with progress of processing of the
event output program or with a lapse of time. Specific examples of such
event information include information for notifying that a download has
been started or finished in a program for downloading data and
information for notifying that playback of music has been started or
paused in a music playback program. Further, the program execution
section 22 may periodically output the event information for notifying of
a situation at a current time point. Specific examples of such event
information include information for notifying of the number of unread
messages at the current time point in a program for receiving electronic
mail. Further, in a case where an error occurs in the processing of the
application program AP, a case where the operation requested by the user
cannot be executed due to some condition, or other such case, the program
execution section 22 may output the event information for notifying of
details of such failures.

[0054] The event information receiving section 23 receives the event
information output by the program execution section 22. Note that, in a
case where a plurality of event output programs are executed at the same
timing, the event information receiving section 23 receives the event
information output by each of the plurality of event output programs. In
this case, each of the event output programs is configured to output the
event information along with information (hereinafter referred to as
"program ID") for identifying itself. With this configuration, the event
information receiving section 23 can refer to the program ID to identify
the program that has output the event information.

[0055] The event notification section 24 notifies the user that the event
information has been received at a timing when the event information
receiving section 23 receives new event information. The notification of
the event performed by the event notification section 24 is realized by
performing an output for notifying that the event information has been
received from some output device. Specifically, the event notification
may be realized by a change in display contents displayed on the screen S
of the display device 14. Alternatively, the event notification may be
realized by causing a light-emitting body provided to the surface of the
casing of the information processing device 10 to be lit or to blink, by
causing a speaker to output sound, or by other such operation.
Alternatively, the event notification may be realized by combining the
outputs from those output devices. The event notification allows the user
to know that some event has occurred in the event output program being
executed by the program execution section 22.

[0056] In addition, the event notification section 24 may change a pattern
of the event notification between a case where the information processing
device 10 is operating in the full mode and a case where the information
processing device 10 is operating in the menu mode. More specifically,
the event notification section 24 may change the output device used for
the event notification depending on the operation mode of the information
processing device 10.

[0057] Particularly in this embodiment, in the full mode, a single
full-mode program AP1 displays the program output image so as to occupy
the entirety of the screen S. Therefore, during the operation in the full
mode, it may be inconvenient to display an image for notifying of an
occurrence of an event within the screen S. Therefore, the event
notification section 24 may be configured to perform the event
notification by changing the display of the screen S in the case of
during operation in the menu mode and perform the event notification by
another method different from the changing of the display of the screen S
(that is, by another output device different from the display device 14)
in the case of during the operation in the full mode.

[0058] The following description is directed to a specific example of the
event notification depending on such an operation mode. In the specific
example, when the event information is output during the operation in the
menu mode, the event notification section 24 pops up a balloon image Ib,
which indicates the details of the event information, on the screen S.
Further, the event notification section 24 simultaneously changes the
color of the notification image In displayed within a predetermined area
of the status bar to a predetermined color, and adds one to a number
displayed within the notification image In. The displayed number
indicates the number of events that have been notified of so far, and has
an initial value of zero. Note that, in a state in which no event
notification has been performed, there is no need to display a number
within the notification image In. Further, the number may be reset to
zero at a predetermined timing, for example, a timing at which a list of
the event information described later is displayed. In addition, the
event notification section 24 is assumed to display the notification
image In with a first color (for example, gray) in the state in which no
event notification has been performed, and changes the color of the
notification image In to a second color (for example, blue) when the
event information is output for the first time, to thereby perform the
notification of the event. Then, when new event notification is performed
after that, the display color of the notification image In remains the
second color without a change, and such an animation that the
notification image In blinks for a fixed time or has a shape thereof
changed is displayed instead. FIG. 6 illustrates an example of a screen
on which the event information described above is notified of. The
balloon image Ib may be erased from the screen S after a lapse of a fixed
time, or may be erased from the screen S in response to the user's
explicit operation (for example, tap operation performed with respect to
the position other than the balloon image Ib within the screen S). In
addition, in the case of erasing the balloon image Ib, such an animation
that the balloon image Ib is sucked up into the position of the
notification image In may be displayed.

[0059] On the other hand, when the event information is output during the
operation in the full mode, the event notification section 24 notifies of
the event by causing the operation button 16 to emit light instead of
changing the display of the screen S. In this description, the color of
the emitted light of the operation button 16 may be the same color as the
color (second color described above) to which the color of the
notification image In is changed when the event notification is performed
for the first time in the menu mode. With this configuration, even when a
notification method for the event performed by the event notification
section 24 is different between the menu mode and the full mode, the
color of the emitted light of the operation button 16 and the color of
the notification image In are the same in the case of the event
notification, which allows the user to intuitively grasp that the event
notification has been performed in either case.

[0060] In addition, the operation button 16 is a button used for
recovering from the full mode to the menu mode as described above, and
when the user depresses the operation button 16 during the operation in
the full mode, the status bar that has not been displayed so far is
displayed again on the screen S. At the time of recovery to the menu
mode, in the same manner as the case where the event notification is
performed during the operation in the menu mode, the event notification
section 24 may display the balloon image Ib indicating the details of the
event information output in the most recent past within the screen S or
may change the color of the notification image In to the color (second
color described above) indicating that the event notification exists.
With this configuration, by operating the operation button 16 itself
which has emitted light for the event notification, the user can confirm
the details of the event information that has been notified of. In other
words, when the event notification is performed during the operation in
the full mode, the details of the event information can be confirmed by
operating the output device (light-emitting body) itself which has
performed the event notification, which allows the user to easily grasp
the operation member to be operated for confirmation of the details of
the event information. Note that, the operation button 16 is caused to
emit light in this description, but instead, for example, the event may
be notified of by causing a light-emitting body disposed in the vicinity
of the operation button 16 on the surface of the casing of the
information processing device 10 to emit light.

[0061] Further, when the application program AP whose execution result is
currently being displayed on the screen S by the program execution
section 22 outputs the event information, the event notification section
24 may determine whether or not the event information received by the
event information receiving section 23 is to be notified of depending on
the current operation mode of the information processing device 10. For
example, when the information processing device 10 is operating in the
full mode, the event notification section 24 is configured to prevent the
event information output by the full-mode program AP1 whose program
output image is being displayed on the screen S from being subjected to
the event notification. This is because such event information is
generally presented to the user by the program output image displayed on
the screen S by the full-mode program AP1 itself even if the user does
not confirm the details of the event information by operating the
operation button 16 to shift the mode of the information processing
device 10 to the menu mode. Note that, in this case, even if the event
notification section 24 prevents the event information from being
subjected to the notification, the event information received by the
event information receiving section 23 may be added to an event log
described later. With this configuration, by viewing an event list
displayed by the event list display control section 25 later, the user
can grasp the occurrence of an event that has not been notified of. On
the other hand, when the information processing device 10 is operating in
the menu mode, the event notification section 24 may notify of the event
information output by the light program AP2 whose program output image is
being displayed in the program display area Ap of the screen S by the
method of changing the notification image In, the method of popping up
the balloon image Ib, or other such method. This allows the user to
recognize the occurrence of an event in the same manner as the case where
the event is notified of while the program output image generated by
another light program AP2 is being displayed.

[0062] In response to a request made by the user, the event list display
control section 25 displays, within the screen S, the list of the event
information subjected to the notification in the past by the event
notification section 24. Note that, the event list display control
section 25 refers to the history (event log) of the event information
notified of in the past to determine the event information to be included
in the list. Specifically, for example, each time the event information
is received from the program execution section 22, the event information
receiving section 23 adds the received details of the event information
to the event log within the storage unit 12. The event list display
control section 25 refers to the event log stored in the storage unit 12
to acquire the event information to be included in the list. FIG. 7
illustrates an example of such an event log stored in the storage unit
12. Note that, an upper limit is set for a total number of event
information items recorded in the event log, and the older event
information items that exceed the upper limit may be deleted in order.

[0063] A description is now made of a specific example in which the event
list display control section 25 displays the events list. For example,
when the user taps the display position of the notification image In
located within the status bar in the menu mode, the event list display
control section 25 pops up a simple list of the event information
(hereinafter referred to as "simple list L1"). Note that, if the total
number of event information items stored in the event log exceeds a
predetermined upper limit number (for example, five), the event list
display control section 25 may cause only the upper limit number of event
information items to be included in the simple list L1 and to be
displayed. FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating an example of the simple list
L1 popped up as described above, and five display fields indicating the
details of five events notified of in the most recent past are displayed
within the simple list L1 in an order of the notification of the event.
Note that, this figure illustrates a display example of a case where six
or more event information items are actually recorded in the event log of
the storage unit 12, and a guide image Ig indicating that there is event
information that cannot be displayed is displayed in a bottom field of
the list. Further, each of the display fields within the simple list L1
includes an icon image indicating the program that has output the
corresponding event information and a character string indicating the
details of the event information (event message output by the program
that has output the event information). In addition, each of the display
fields may include information indicating a timing to notify of the event
information (for example, information indicating a date/time at which the
event information was notified of or information indicating how much time
has passed since the event information was notified of up to the current
time point).

[0064] When the user taps the display position of the guide image Ig in a
state in which the simple list L1 of FIG. 8 is displayed, the event list
display control section 25 displays a list including all the event
information items recorded in the event log (hereinafter referred to as
"detailed list L2") in the program display area Ap of the screen S. FIG.
9 illustrates an example of the screen on which such a detailed list L2
is displayed. In the example of this figure, only three event information
items are collectively displayed within the program display area Ap, but,
for example, by performing the slide operation in a vertical direction
within the program display area Ap, the user can scroll the displayed
event information item to display more event information items than the
number of items displayed in the simple list L1.

[0065] Note that, the event list display control section 25 may include
another display item in the displayed list of the event information in
addition to the event information. In the examples of FIG. 8 and FIG. 9,
it is assumed that the information processing device 10 downloads various
kinds of data and various programs from an external portion via the
communication network, and information indicating a download status for
each data item subjected to the download is displayed in the list along
with the event information. Specifically, for a data item subjected to a
download, the event list display control section 25 displays a message
indicating that the download is completed if the download has been
completed, and displays a message indicating that the download is on
standby if the download of the data item has not been started for such a
reason that the download of another data item is in execution. Further,
when the data item is being downloaded, information indicating download
progress (what percentage of the entire data item has already been
downloaded) may be displayed. Further, in this example, depending on the
selection made by the user, the event list display control section 25 may
display only the information indicating a download status in the list or
display only the event information items that have been notified of in
the list. In the example of FIG. 9, when the user taps an "All" button
displayed at the top within the program display area Ap, the list
including both the information indicating the download status and the
event information items that have been notified of is displayed, while
only the event information is displayed in the list when a "Notice"
button is tapped, and only the information indicating the download status
is displayed in the list when a "Download" button is tapped.

[0066] Note that, the information relating to the start and end of the
download may not only be displayed by being included in the list
displayed by the event list display control section 25 but also be
subjected to the notification performed by the event notification section
24. In this case, a program for executing data download processing
(download program) functions as the event output program, and outputs the
event information for informing of the start and end of the download to
the event information receiving section 23. In the same manner as the
event information output by another event output program, when the
download program outputs the event information for notifying of the start
or end of the download, the event notification section 24 notifies the
user to that effect by changing the display of the screen S or causing
the operation button 16 to emit light.

[0067] In addition, while the download program is executing the download,
the event notification section 24 may notify the user that the download
is in execution by changing the notification image In. For example, when
the event information receiving section 23 receives the event information
on the start of the download, the event notification section 24 displays
an icon image Id indicating that the download is in execution within the
notification image In. FIG. 10 illustrates an example of a screen on
which such an icon image Id is displayed. Note that, in FIG. 10, the
shape and size of the notification image In are also different from the
above-mentioned display examples. In addition, when the event information
receiving section 23 receives the event information on the end of the
download, the event notification section 24 finishes displaying the icon
image Id, and instead displays the event information on the end of the
download as the balloon image Ib, while changing the color of the
notification image In to the color indicating that the event information
has been received. The icon image Id may be a moving image that changes
over time. With this configuration, the user can more easily grasp that
the download is in execution. Note that, in the case of notifying the
user that the download is in execution by displaying the icon image Id
within the notification image In, while the information processing device
10 is operating in the full mode, such an icon image Id cannot be
displayed. Therefore, the event notification section 24 switches whether
or not to perform the notification that the download is in execution
depending on which of the full mode and the menu mode the information
processing device 10 is operating in.

[0068] Note that, when the user taps an "Erase history" button in the
state in which the detailed list L2 of FIG. 9 is displayed, all the
details of the event log are erased. Further, irrespective of whether or
not the event list is being displayed, when a specific full-mode program
AP1 is started in response to the user's instruction, the program
execution section 22 may delete the event information output in the past
by the full-mode program AP1 from the event log.

[0069] In addition, when the user performs an operation for selecting
event information within the list by tapping the display field of any one
of the event information items in the state in which the event list
display control section 25 is displaying the list of the event
information, the information processing device 10 may display, on the
screen S, the processing result of the program that has output the event
information subjected to the selection. More specifically, when the event
information output by the full-mode program AP1 is selected, the program
execution section 22 restarts the execution of the full-mode program AP1,
and displays the program output image drawn by the full-mode program AP1
on the entirety of the screen S. Further, when the event information
output by the light program AP2 is selected, the image displayed in the
program display area Ap by the menu image display control section 21 is
switched to the program output image indicating the processing result of
the light program AP2. With this configuration, the user can easily call
the program that has output the event information and view the program
output image drawn by the program, to thereby confirm the details of the
events that have been notified of (for example, details of the unread
messages in a case of the event information for notifying the number of
unread messages).

[0070] Further, in this embodiment, the event list display control section
25 may have a limitation on the number of event information items to be
included in the list of the event information for each event output
program that has output the event information. A specific example of such
control is described below.

[0071] As described above, each of the event output programs executed by
the program execution section 22 outputs the event information along with
the program ID of itself. When receiving new event information, the event
information receiving section 23 refers to the program ID to identify the
program that has output the event information, and verifies whether or
not a predetermined number of event information items output by the same
program as the identified event output program are included in the event
information subjected to the notification in the past by the event
notification section 24 (that is, event information that has already been
recorded in the event log of the storage unit 12). Then, if the
predetermined number of event information items output by the same event
output program have already been included, when the newly-received event
information is added to the event log, one of the event information items
output by the same event output program is deleted from the event log.
Note that, the event information item to be deleted may be, for example,
the event information output at the earliest timing among a plurality of
event information items output by the event output program. In this
description, the predetermined number of items is a list-display upper
limit number defined in advance for each event output program, and may
be, for example, one. If the list-display upper limit number is one, one
event information item is included in the event log for one event output
program. Further, the list-display upper limit number may be a number
that differs depending on the event output program.

[0072] According to such control, only the event information items whose
number does not exceed the list-display upper limit number are always
included in the event log for each of the plurality of event output
programs that outputs the event information. Therefore, even if a given
event output program output the event information items whose number
exceeds the list-display upper limit number in the past, only the event
information items whose number is equal to the list-display upper limit
number at most are included in the list for the event output program.
Therefore, for example, even if a specific event output program has
output a large number of event information items consecutively, it is
possible to avoid a situation in which the list is occupied by only the
event information items output by the specific event output program, and
to display the event information output by another event output program
together in the list. In addition, in the case of deleting the event
information from the event log, by deleting the event information output
at the earliest timing among the event information items output by the
same event output program, the event information items whose number is
the list-display upper limit number are displayed by being included in
the list in an output order from the most recent past. With this
configuration, the event information for informing of a more recent
processing situation can be preferentially presented to the user for each
event output program.

[0073] Note that, the upper limit is thus set for the number of event
information items displayed in the list for each event output program,
which may cause even the event information that has been notified of
relatively recently to be deleted from the event log when the same event
output program outputs new event information. However, in this
embodiment, as described above, when the user selects the event
information within the list in the state in which the event list display
control section 25 is displaying the list of the event information, the
program output image indicating the processing result obtained by the
program that has output the event information is displayed on the screen
S. In general, the event output program for outputting the event
information has a function for presenting, to the user, information items
that need to be grasped by the user among the event information items
output in the past. Therefore, even if older event information items
whose number exceeds the list-display upper limit number are deleted from
the event log, one or more event information items output by the same
event output program should remain within the list, and hence by
selecting the event information item from the list and confirming the
processing result of the event output program, the user can view the
information relating to the event information items that have been
deleted from the event log.

[0074] Further, in the description made so far, if the event output
program outputs the event information items whose number exceeds the
list-display upper limit number, the event information receiving section
23 deletes the older event information items from the event log. However,
without performing the deletion from the event log, the event list
display control section 25 may merely limit the displaying of the event
information items that exceed the list-display upper limit number when
displaying the list of the event information, to thereby display the list
including the event information items whose number is below the
list-display upper limit number. Also in this case, the number of event
information items displayed for each event output program is suppressed
to equal to or smaller than the list-display upper limit number. In
addition, in this case, the event information items that are not to be
displayed in the list remain within the event log, and hence, for
example, in a case of displaying the event information output by a
specific one event output program in the list in response to a request
made by the user, the event information items whose number exceeds the
list-display upper limit number and which are recorded in the event log
may be displayed.

[0075] Note that, the information processing device according to the
embodiment of the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned
information processing device. For example, the information processing
device 10 may be provided with a touch sensor on a back surface side of
the casing of the information processing device 10 (back side of a
surface on which the screen S is disposed) in place of, or in addition
to, the touch sensor 15 disposed so as to be overlaid on the screen S. In
this case, the touch sensor on the back surface side is also provided
with the detection surface corresponding to the screen S, and allows the
user to perform the tap operation and the slide operation on the screen S
by bringing his/her finger into contact with the touch sensor. Therefore,
by the operation input performed through the touch sensor on the back
surface side, the list of the event information may be displayed on the
screen S or the displayed list may be scrolled.

[0076] Further, the description is made above on the assumption that the
full-mode program AP1 operates only in the full mode by occupying the
entirety of the screen S and that the light program AP2 operates in the
menu mode that allows the menu image display control section 21 to switch
the image displayed in the program display area Ap between the plurality
of program-related images Ip. However, the information processing device
10 may operate in another operation mode different from the full mode or
the menu mode. As one of such operation modes, there may be a median
operation mode (intermediate operation mode) between the two operation
modes. A program created by assuming the operation in the intermediate
operation mode among the full-mode programs AP1 operates in the
intermediate operation mode. This program is a kind of the full-mode
program AP1, and therefore cannot be executed at the same timing as
another full-mode program AP1. However, the entirety of the screen S is
not occupied, and the program output image indicating the processing
result thereof can be displayed within the screen S simultaneously with
the status bar. In such an operation mode, the notification image In can
be displayed within the status bar, and hence the event notification may
be performed by changing the display of the notification image In in the
same manner as during the operation in the menu mode. Alternatively, the
event notification may be performed by causing the light-emitting body
such as the operation button 16 to emit light in the same manner as
during the operation in the full mode.

[0077] Further, the information processing device 10 may operate in, for
example, an operation mode for displaying the processing results of a
plurality of programs simultaneously within the screen S in the form of
windows or the like. Also in this case, the information processing device
10 may perform the event notification by changing the display within the
screen S during the operation in an operation mode in which a plurality
of windows coexist within the screen S, and perform the event
notification by causing the light-emitting body to emit light or by other
such operation without changing the display within the screen S in the
case of operating in the full mode in which a single application program
occupies the entirety of the screen S, to thereby realize the event
notification in the pattern corresponding to the operation mode.

Patent applications by Motoki Kobayashi, Tokyo JP

Patent applications by Shigeru Enomoto, Kanagawa JP

Patent applications by Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.

Patent applications in class EVENT HANDLING OR EVENT NOTIFICATION

Patent applications in all subclasses EVENT HANDLING OR EVENT NOTIFICATION